Communication devices such as mobile phone, Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), Laptops are frequently used for communication, for example, communication over a telecommunication network and short range communication. The communication over the telecommunication network can be a wired network and/or a wireless network. An example of wired network includes a Public Switched Telecommunication Network (PSTN). Examples of wireless network include Global System for Mobile (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and the like. The short range communication can be established when communication devices are in a close proximity to each other. Examples of short range communication network include, but are not limited to Bluetooth infrared communication, Near Field Communication.
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range high frequency wireless communication technology. In NFC a communication link is established automatically as soon as two NFC enabled communication devices are placed close to each other. NFC enables exchange of data between devices that are within ˜10 centimeter distance. NFC compatible communication devices adheres to ISO 18092 standards. Further, NFC compatible communication devices can operate in different operating modes, for example, reader/writer mode, peer-to-peer mode, and card emulation mode. The different operating modes are based on ISO/IEC 18092-NFCIP-1 and ISO/IEC 14443 contactless smart card standards. For the sake of clarity and for the purpose of this description, the NFC compatible communication devices will be referred as communication devices.
In reader/writer mode, the communication device is capable of reading NFC forum mandated tag types. A tag in this mode is either active or passive. However, the tag is activated for communication when a reader communication device is at a close proximity to the tag. In Card Emulation mode, the communication device hosts a NFC tag that is used as a traditional contactless smart card. In the Peer to Peer mode of operation, a legacy NFC communication device works in a Half-Duplex mode of operation using protocols that enable Peer to Peer mode of operation.
Hence, the NFC communication devices operate in three different modes. The main parts of a NFC communication device operation include NFC Controller (NFCC), Device Host (DH), and removable entities. An example of DH includes a processor. The removable entities include secure elements (SE) and/or non-secure elements. The NFCC interfaces and interacts with the DH and the removable entities directly through physical links. The interactions are managed by the protocols in the NFCC, DH and removable entities. Hence, the interaction among the NFCC, the DH and the removable entities results in transfer of application data over the NFC wireless link. In NFC communication devices, multiple applications can be deployed on DH and removable entities. Further the interaction of the multiple applications with other applications entities within the same NFC communication device and also with other NFC communication devices is managed by the NFCC.